Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-07-26
OFFICER STEPHENS.
HE MAKES A VERY BAD BREAK. YESTER-
DAY MORNING,
In Drawing q Revolver and Making an Effort to
SAOOt-Ths Second Act in the
Livery Stable Drama.

shoot some one, was put out, reprimanded
by Chief Smith and suspended, the suspen-
sion confirmed by the Board, and lastly
was arrested on State warrant for hear
ing to-day. Altogether he had a lively
day of it, and crowded good many bad
breaks into the fleetipg hours. Below Will
be found his exploits in detail, all sides oil
the story being given:
A reporter called at the livery stable,
on Twentieth street, and asked Dir. war
den TOR his version of the affair, ana ne
replied:
t'Oficer Stephens came into my Office
about $50 or 9 o'clock, and coming 10
where | sat at my desk, stopped over and
said he had a crow to pick with me- l
asked him what it was, and he answered
and said that had been circulating the
statement that he knew the men who were
in the stable that night with the eolored
woman. / told him that all / had said
WAS before him, when | stated that l
Thought he knew about who composed the
marty, and that had not been circulating
the story. We continued arguing the
matter for some time, and tried to keep
my temper, although Stephens was sew
eral times on the point of calling me liar.
Presently Henry Burt, one Of my en-
ployes, who was engaged in currying
horse, bearing the loud language OF
Stephens, came to window which looks
from the Office into the gangway. He stood
ut the window anu looked through the
sash where a pain Of glass had been broken
out. Something that Stephens said caused
him to laugh, and Is he is u hearty Laughter,
his laugh was quite loud.
sStephens turned to him and said Cd
d-n YOU, what are you laughing about!
Bnrt replied that he could laugh If he
wanted to and walked from the window to
door beside it which led into the office,
and stood in the doorway. He said II
Stephens was policeman he, couldn't scare
him, and with that Stephens made grab at
his throat whereupon Burt struck at him,
the blow CHANGING on the side Of his face.
By this time got hold of Stephens and
pulled him away. Stephens got back
10 the other side of the room and put his
hand in his outside coat pocket, when
Burt told me he had a pistol, and caught
his hand and felt the revolver. Burt said
to let him 20 and he would lick him, pistol
and all. | told them no they could not
fight, aud attempted TO quiet Stephens
down, but could not DO much with him.
Burt and Walter Moore, who had come up
then returned to their work. But every
time Stephens laid eyes on them he called
them SIS of BIS and other names. l
told him he must 90 out of the building
49,.
out, when Burt and Moore asked me
| To let them have him, and
they would soon get rid of him. didn't
want TO see any trouble and refused to do
this, and had got Stephens out into the
alley, when he remarked to Burt that he
was the cause of all his trouble; that he
had done him dirt in the sight of the wO-
man scrape. Burt denied this, stating
that he was not there, and that Moore was
! the man who was there thHt night.
Stephens then abused him, and Moore then
went up 10 him and said Charley, come
around when you are sober and we'll talk
TO YOU and easily settle the matter.
ThereupOn Stephens reached in his pocket,
and seizing his revolver said: Pve
got il In for you and Ill
put ball through you?' | had hold OF
his hand, however. and prevented him
pulling his revolver clean out of his pocket.
then got him clear around the house and
the men went back to their work, while
Stephens walked away and sat down.
Moore telephoned to headquarters and
told Captain Smith to come down and ar
rest Stephens, that he had revolver IN
his pocket, and he was not in fit cOndl-
ton to carry it, Captain Smith came down
and | told him what had occurred. Steph-
ems was either drunk or crazy, from the
way he acted"
Mr.. Moore's story WAS substantially as
follows:
stephens came into the Office and told
Mr.. Warden he had a crow to pick with
him Something he said caused Henry
Burt, who was standing ut the window, to
laugh, whereupon Stephens turned TO HIM
and said, You Cd d-n s. OF q b-h,
what are you laughing about Burt re-
marked that he would take that from no
one and opened the door that led into the
Office, when Stephens rushed ut him and
attempted to seize him by the throat.
Burt struck him n glancing blow in the
face. Mr.. Warden separated them and
Stephens pulled revolver out
of his side coat pocket and pointed it at
him. We told Mr.. Warden that we would
yet him out and Burt wanted to whip him
himself, Notwithstanding the fact that
he had q revolver, but Mr. Warden sue
eeeded in getting Stephens out into the
gangway. Stephens said to Burt that he
had been the cause of all the trouble and
Il l.. -. t.,iN
informed that Burt was not there the night
the woman scrape occurred, but that WAS
the man. Stephens then said to me, Cd
d--n you, I'll get even with you if it
takes me ten years. went up to him,
placed my hand upon his shoulder
and said, Stephens come around when yOu
are sober and well talk to you and we can
easily fix thi, thing up all right. Stephens
then pulled out his revolver and pointing
it at me said, Cd d-n you, III put q
fole through you l believe he would
have shot but Mr.. Warden, who had hold
of him yet, knocked down his arm and
forced him TO leave, while went i'm and
telephoned to police headquarters. Cap
tain Smith came to the telephone and
informed him that Stephens was down
there with revolver and that he was in an
unfit condition to carry u revolver. lie
came down, when ! told him that
lStephens was drunk. He said he did not
think he was. Iasked him to arrest Stephens
and disarm him, but he refused to do so.
then told him that WOULD swear out a
warrant and have stephens tried before q
Justice of the Peace. saw the Captain
again at noon ami asked him what he in
tended TO do about the matter; that Steph-
ems had been lOatng around In the vicinity
OF the stable all morning; that he still pos
sessed the revolver, and | thought he in,
tended to do some of us harm. Hesaid he
would lay Stephens of, and asked ME to
appear before the Board in the evening, but
l told him l had no desire to see Stephens
put off the force. All ] wanted
WAS that he would be prevented from
troubling us any more. That is about all
there is in the matter. l never did Steph.
ems any harm and do not want him to dc
me any. / believe he knew who the
parties in the stable were that night, be-
cause watched him lighting the matches
and several Of them were not three
yards away at the time, 80 he could not
help recognizing them"
4 n e, n.